Kanch Mandir

The
Kanch Mandir, as the name suggests, is a temple which is entirely made
up of glass and mirrors. It is also known as the Seth Hukamchand Temple,
as it was built by the "Cotton King" Sir Hukamchand Seth in
the early 20th century. It is primarily a Jain temple and is a wonder in
glass. The walls, ceiling, floor, pillars, doors, everything here is
entirely adorned with glass. The Kanch Mahal has always been an object
of interest for almost all the Hindu rulers in India.

The dazzling Sheesh Mahal in Amer Fort of Rajasthan is an exemplary
piece of art and provides a breathtaking sight. The Kanch Mahal of
Indore is somewhat the same. The major difference being that it is a
temple rather than a palace. Owing to its beauty, the palace attracts a
number of tourists. Kanch Mandir is located quite close to the Rajwada.
The temple is decorated with thousands of mirrors with patterned ceramic
tiles.

The charisma of the temple is further intensified with the delicately
crafted Chinese lantern-type glass lamps and cut glass chandeliers. The
interiors of the Kanch Mandir are just mesmerizing. The temple boasts of
more than 50 murals depicting Jain stories. They also depict scenes of
conversion to Jainism, torture of sinners in the afterlife and 19th
century court life. The Kanch Mahal is quite different from all the
other such monuments in the country.

Its uniqueness arises from the fact that it is too showy and splendid
to be the shrine of a religion which advocated simple living. Infact,
not just simple living, rather austerity. The colorful glass beads and
raised sculpted figures give a special 3D effect to the temple. The idol
of Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism is made from shimmering black
onyx. The temple is a place of interest for both the Jain pilgrims as
well as the tourists. The temple is situated on Jawahar Road near the
Rajwada and opens at 10:00 am.